Wednesday, 17 January 2018

FATHER! YOU CANT PUSH A GRANNY OFF THE BUS!

A LIMERICK pensioner is considering taking legal action against a priest who ordered her off a bus carrying local people who were going hunting the wren.

The grandmother said that she was “disappointed” and felt “very traumatised and threatened by his reaction” on the day of the incident.

The priest, Fr John Mockler, said that he told the woman to leave the bus because she was not one of his ‘chosen’ musicians for the event, which was organised to raise funds for his pilgrimage to Medjugorje with local teenagers.

However, according to local sources, there is bad blood between the woman – who is in her 60s – and the priest, Fr Mockler of Newcastle West, who have not spoken for several years.

And it has also transpired that Fr Mockler also changed the collection point for those travelling on the bus, after he heard the woman intended to travel.

It is understood that during the confrontation on St Stephen’s Day, gardai were called by Fr Mockler in an effort to get the woman to get off the bus. This is despite the fact that the event was advertised in local newspapers as an ‘all welcome’ day out.

The call was subsequently cancelled and gardai did not attend the scene, it is understood.

The bus was organised to transport people going on the Wren in Newcastle West.

When the woman arrived to take part in the hunt, the priest “cleared her off the bus” and a confrontation broke out.

Fr Mockler told the woman that it was his group, that he chose the group, and that he didn’t want her joining on the bus.

The woman, who claims to be a singer and who once released tapes and performed gigs, read the invitation to all in the newspaper and wanted to join in.

She also brought refreshments with her on the day for the group.

The group was due to meet at the Longcourt Hotel car park in Newcastle West, but upon hearing that the woman was planning to come, the priest redirected the group to St Ita’s Hospital in an attempt to lose her.

However, the woman still managed to catch up with the group, and was at the bus when the musicians emerged from the hospital after a round of music.

The confrontation took place in front of a handful of people who were also on the bus at the time.

“It was organised in good faith and it was Christmas after all,” said one Newcastle West person who defended the woman.

When contacted to comment on the incident, Fr John Mockler said that “she was somebody who was there who shouldn’t have been”.

“She wasn’t a musician and I picked the group of musicians that I wanted, and we went in to play for the patients in St Ita’s and when we went out there was somebody in the minibus. Not a musician and shouldn’t have been there. I wanted the seat for a musician that was part of the group.”

He said it was “nothing to do with” any bad blood, but that it was solely because she was not invited and was “not a musician”.

He also claimed that the other members of the group didn’t want to get back on the bus because she was on board.

Asked if a confrontation took place, Fr Mockler said that was “an exaggeration”.

When asked if the event was an ‘all welcome’ event, as advertised in local newspapers, he said: “Yes, for musicians. Not for just anybody who’s not a musician who just wants to come along and cause trouble.”

The dispute between the pair is said to go back to an incident two years ago when, after the woman was in a car accident, she broke the Eucharistic host at Mass to place one half on her neck – in a bid to heal a whiplash injury.

According to locals, Fr Mockler was said to have been very annoyed at the incident.

The tensions between the priest and the woman have meant that she now goes to Mass in another church.

When contacted by the Limerick Leader, the woman said that she was “disappointed” and felt “very traumatised and threatened by his reaction” on the day of the incident.

PAT SAYS:

This is a sad story of a priest banning an elderly parishioner from a parish bus trip.

It seems to me that Father Mockley was way OTT.

Even if the lady in question is a bit "difficult" I think she could have been treated more sensitively.

Always the priest's fault, Pat! Always. That woman is not elderly and seems like a bully. This really is a non story. You're scraping the bottom of the barrel Pat. Every parish has awkward and difficult people. And - breaking the Sacred Host - that's unacceptable. The woman is seriously stupid. The Granny shouldn't be so pushy!!!!

Who cares what she does with the host. If you respect it dont force others to respect it. And if it is idolatry to worship the host she is the one in the right. Religion does not believe in innocent until proven guilty as much as it says. It cannot be proved the host really is special.

12:21, you could try asking Jesus, once a day, to give you sufficient reason to believe in his Eucharistic bodily presence. He will oblige, in time (and if you are in earnest), and provided you're prepared to admit to yourself (he already knows) at least the possibility that you are wrong.

And why wouldn't he oblige you? Oddly enough, he wants you to believe in him.

God is not unreasonable: he didn't expect the Jews to believe in his son without Jesus' doing the kind of things that no other could humanly accomplish.

And yet, even this was not enough, for not everyone believed.

Sometimes lack of proof isn't the problem: it's the outright unwillingness to accept what proof is provided. It's the most insidious prejudice of all. It even has a name: 'Rationalism'.

A silly situation which had old roots from previous encounters and then got out of hand.There may - I don't know--have been an element of provocation on the lady's part if she insisted on muscling in to a seat which she knew had been allocated to another ear-marked musician. But if it was an 'everyone welcome "scenario, then she had equal right to claim a place and should not have been embarrassed by even a hint of a suggestion from anyone - least of all the priest! - that she wasn't welcome. If the coach was genuinely a private hire outing for a strictly chosen group, then it would have been wise to give each seat occupant a ticket slip with a seat number printed on it in advance. But it doesn't sound as if that was the case here which suggests to me that the priest handled the situation very clumsily and acted in an immature tit-for-tat fashion. I would advise that lady to apply the wisdom of her years to future situations by valuing her own contribution with the kind of self - esteem which would lead her to bestow her singing talents on those who valued and respected them. These people clearly did not. But then there was apparently a past history of prickly encounters between the lady and the priest and that coloured the reactions on the day.

11.02: Pat, your preoccupation with this story is absolutely bizarre. You are using it to provoke anti priest sentiment, at which you are a master prifessional. What do you know about tge situatiin? The storybin itself is bizarre and you are even more bizarre to be using it for your own agenda. Says a lot about your lazy days of doing nothing worthwhile. The "said the same about Jesus " argument you use is nonsensical.

Pat Says - typically one sided analysis of an event that appears to have been primarily Granny's fault. She wasn't supposed to be there. I'dimagine the priest did his utmost to be kind with someone who is probably one of those nuisance parishioners . We get similar in every parish. This is a story that doesn't deserve space. You're simply eliciting yet again anti clerical nastiness.

11.01: You become more weird by the day Pat. Your crappy response says it all - you simply want anti clerical prose and not TRUTH. Get a life. Hatred is never justified as encouraged by you towards priests. Never.

Pat, your responses all day to comments are indicative of someone with little to do. Search out trouble. Create more trouble around it. Tell untruths, feed into hatred of priesthood, allow all kinds of lies be told and you don't care. You haven't a scintilla of integrity when it comes to preaching at others. Brother, take out the blibdness from your eye first, clean your own heart...Again, some bloggers are right: it's none of your business how Fr. Mockler dealt with the lady in question. You, Pat, hear only what you want to hear. It's not your moral duty to lecture another priest about an incident that happened in his parish. We all encounter awkward people in our lives. None of your business Buckley. Simple truth.

17.15. I'm far too busy. Don't have your lazy days and all the time in the world to do - NOTHING USEFUL...Really Pat... and people all around you homeless, lonely..etc..and your obsession today - an issue that happened in another parish that is not your concern. Get a real life. Join Magna....

This reminds me of the kind of thing that might have happened when I was in Sligo. I am reminded of the many sub plots that can exist in and around parish life. It is the kind of thing some power hungry people and bullies could feed on. I believe this issue could have been easily solved in the early stages. I know I was immature in not being able to face some issues and in other cases I was afraid. I would have thought the world would have moved on. But then again perhaps not

Come on Pat, your reaching here, yer wan is obviously a spacer, what else was the man to do? What would you have done in the same situation, let yer wan stay on the bus and cancel the rest of the gig? Maybe you can issue her an invite to sing at the oratory next Sun? I'll hold my breath in anticipation.

He is a priest, a leader. What was he supposed to do? He was supposed to call around to her several years ago and make peace before the situation got out of hand. If he had a situation he could not manage then he should have reported it to the bishop and asked to be reassigned.

The woman was at fault by displacing an actual musician who would not otherwise been able to travel if sthehe, the cuckoo in the nest had been allowed to stay on the bus. It was probably embarrassing for him. It was obviously a standoff which he thought only the Guards could break. The musicians wouldn't board it while she was there, suggesting they took the side of the priest. Why use the emotive word "granny"? There's no suggestion of her being so, anywhere in the article.

There's bigger fish to fry, including the pro-abortionists mocking the statue of the BVM in the cloister of Maynooth, and Brendan Marshall seen with his arm round another seminarian and pushing his way into photos posted by the Secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy.

The arm thing was in a group setting but BM was the only one doing that and it looks a bit creepy.

10:15 needs to see a counsellor and/or a psychiatrist. The real question is what motivates her/his vitriol against the man (s)he names - Jealousy? Envy? Unrequited love? If you want to call someone out have a serious basis. Having an issue with putting one’s arm around another adult is something the counsellor and psychiatrist may be able to help with. It’s indicative of a dualistic attitude to humanity and of an unhealthy approach towards the human body. Where to start.....?

I would have put John Mockler on the milder end of the scale. I suppose we don't fully know the circumstances from either point of view. Fear, anger and frustration can make us act in ways we normally wouldn't and there are people who'd try the patience of a saint and are best keeping away from. That said, I don't know if that's the case with this lady. In these situations, it's best to try to keep calm and let the emotions settle. More often than not, it's probably better to say nothing.

I am a musician and highly qualified and experienced and well appreciated when I give a performance. It's good to be like that after such hard work to prepare well. But even then, you have to accept that you be invited to everything! Sometimes it's just not your turn and so you hold back gracefully and let other musicians get their chance. That's how it is.

At least somebody believes in standing up to todays Pharisees - the Catholic priesthood. Jesus hated the Pharisees not because they were evil but because they used religion as an idol. Hope pope Francis gets the protests he deserves when he comes to this country. That individual should be met with protests. Though the people in Chile have gone too far with violent protests it is good that he gets the response he has earned there. Catholics have been upset with Francis' appointment in 2015 of Bishop Juan Barros to head the small diocese of Osorno in south-central Chile who was at the papal mass. The bishop has been accused of protecting his former mentor, Father Fernando Karadima who found guilty in a Vatican investigation in 2011 of abusing teenage boys over many years. Francis by having that controversial bishop at the papal celebrations of the visit is provoking the riots in doing so.

In 2015 Pope a Chilean television station aired a video showing Pope Humble defending a Santiago bishop (Juan Barros (mentioned in the post above) whose opponents allege has covered up sexual abuse by the notorious pedophile priest Fr Fernando Karadima.

In the video, broadcast by Chilean TV channel Mega, Humble blames "leftists" for a campaign against the Bishop Barros.

"Don't let yourselves be led by the noses, by the leftists who have plotted this," the pope says in the video, speaking to Chilean visitors at the Vatican. He noted that the allegations against Barros had been dismissed by a Chilean court.

Jaime Coiro, a deacon and former spokesman for the church in Chile, said on his Twitter account that he was there when the video was made and that Francis was speaking to him. He said the comments were recorded on an iPad by an Argentine standing nearby.

Pat, in case one of the Francis worshipers dismisses this as Fake News because it is on Fox News, plenty of Catholic outlets reported it, including the Catholic Herald. But the secular press love Humble (itchy ears) so he's had a free pass. Imagine the uproar if Benedict had said it. http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/11/12/chilean-priest-punished-by-the-vatican-for-abuse-claims-he-is-innocent/

I hope you're impressed by probably the first time the word coprophia has been used in St Peter's by anyone, never mind a Pope. But the main thing is that he's so much more humble than all his predecessors and he hates it that all his acts of humility are somehow captured by the media and spread round the world. Here you go, hope it's not too vulgar for you.

16:53 The only problem with your diatribe is that Francis is the Holy Spirit’s gift to the churches and the world. Probably the most popular pope in history and the greatest. Especially where evangelization is concerened.

Less great Popes would have left out the coprophilia talk and spoken of calumny and retraction. But who am I, or anyone else to judge. We are all going to Heaven as long as our conscience tells us what we are doing is ok. Isn't that the new way?

That is the 'new way' except for you and me. We either 'get with the programme' or go to hell. Sorry, forget that, the Pope has abolished that place, we all go to heaven eventually except for non-believers who go to eternal nothingness (see Scalfari).

'Wrong behaviour' is a totally subjective term. Harbouring Jews was regarded (quite recently) by a significant proportion of a whole nation as 'wrong behaviour'. Who are you or Adolph to be arbiter of what is 'wrong behaviour' and what is not? Thank God that you're not in charge (are you Pat's alter-ego by any chance?).

No, there are commonly held (and, therefore, objective) standards of wrong behaviour;some of these, in every country globally, are codified in civil law.

Even so, should a standard of behaviour be wrong for a particular individual, then he may call out another for such conduct, even if that person does not share the other's opinion of it. It's called 'exercising free speech'.

Anyone ho knows John mockler in Newcastlewest knows he is a good person and Christian. He is loved by 98% of the praying community. A very good caring & prayerful man. John is a true shepherd. Times I have met him I've been impressed with his zeal for ministry... I don't belong to his diocese but worked there for a few years. Pat get a life and share the joy of the gospel not act like real sad aging ould biddy... I can see you have a sad existence.

Are you being sexist by typing the words ..old biddy....priest?I think soPat didn’t make up this story.I hope Mockley has now been moved. he had to rite to tell anyone to get off a bus.Some gospel preacher you are with your disgusting language.

I recall the old paper sellers shouting out the headline to attract buyers. 'PRIEST THROWS OLD LADY OFF BUS' would have been a winner in those days, we call it click-bait now. Well done, another priest's rep. destroyed with half a story. There's no priest like you Pat, just don't persuade yourself how good you are by attacking the others who are still trying to move the plough that you turned your back on.

Very happy if I upset you defending marrivack pat, John won’t be moved because he is a good person and much valued be the faithful lay and his priest/ religious friends. That distruptive lady who pushes her wight around is known to be so by everyone in Newcastle west. She has serious anger issue. Someone had to put heron her place. I hope she might joint pats religious community in larne. They would heal her !! John mocker well done. It’s not easy to confront arragance and gate crashes. Let’s hope the story finishes. If only you knew the lady anonymous. Caring u into my meagre pray this morning that the scales will be removed from your eyes !

Fr. John Mockler handled both situations perfectly with granny(the first being the misuse of The Blessed Sacrament, and the second being the avoidance of "Poor Little Granny" on the bus trip. This lady is a control freak and when Fr John got the upperhand with the Blessed Sacrament, she could not handle loss of control to him so she tried (unsuccessfully - with a self invite to a private party)and perhaps will try again to make life miserable for him until she feels she has the upperhand. I read that she considered suing....really....for what...trying to gate-crash a party! Priests have a bad reputation at the moment, with all the abuses of the Church. I guarantee you will never hear that Fr John has abused children, nor would he ever turn a blind eye to it, so welcome Fr. John as an example of the future of the Catholic Church in Ireland. I am hoping he will be a Bishop in the near future. He has what it takes and he has all my support and prayers. Abuse is not only in the Church. Physical, verbal and sexual abuse are in families and in the work place also. It is a world wide problem, but many people are keeping silent about it because there is no money to be made by suing family, or people get fired if they file a claim in the workplace. We all need to pray to Jesus, Mary & Joseph with the power of the Holy Spirit, to bring back the perfect family, like they had, when on earth. I don't know why people are so concerned with child abuse by priests, but yet are o.k. with killing babies!